One of the UK's commercial nurseries is celebrating half a decade of success within its in-house apprenticeships and trainee manager programs this month. Wyevale Nurseries currently has eight members of staff who have graduated from the initiatives into more senior roles or are actively working through the training and management scheme.
Andy Johnson, Managing Director at Wyevale Nurseries based in Hereford, said: “It is really encouraging seeing so many energetic and enthusiastic young people coming into the business.
“This is a great time to embark on a career in production horticulture. With so many opportunities and technical challenges, there should be a very rewarding career ahead for those who embark on the journey. These initiatives provide the opportunity for adding to and learning from the wealth of experience already in the business. I look forward to seeing leaders of the future emerge.”
Oliver Handscomb, Josh Pascoe, Sam Lloyd, Carla Nash, Julia Germaniuk, Kyle Ross, Cian Lynch and Harry Downes, who have all graduated from the company’s training and management programmes or are actively working as apprentices and trainees at Wyevale Nurseries.
The members of staff who have benefitted from the programs include Carla Nash, who was voted 2016 Midland Regional Grower’s Apprentice of the Year and successfully completed her apprenticeship in 2016. She now works as a Potting and Resource Supervisor at Wyevale Nurseries.
Kyle Ross, Container Unit Production Manager, oversees the growing, stock control, crop protection, and product development departments. He completed the trainee manager program in 2018 after graduating with a BSc in Horticulture from Pershore College.
He is also responsible for Wyevale Nurseries’ biosecurity and plant health protocols. He said: “Wyevale Nurseries offer so much support to their apprentices and trainee managers, who are given every opportunity to shine and thrive in the business. Valuable skills are gained as well as invaluable plant and technical knowledge that can be applied to all aspects of horticulture.”
Harry Downes graduated from the trainee manager program in 2021, working through a COVID-19 struck season, and now holds the role of Propagation Supervisor. Cian Lynch and Sam Lloyd both passed through the apprentice program in 2021 and now have the positions of Amenity Sales Executive and Potting Shed Team Leader respectively.
Sam Lloyd, Potting Shed Team Leader, and Cian Lynch, Amenity Sales Executive at Wyevale Nurseries.
New additions
New additions to the company are Oliver Handscomb and Josh Pascoe who joined as apprentices in September 2021, and Julia Germaniuk, who is working towards completing the trainee manager course.
Steve Reed, Production Director at Wyevale Nurseries, said: “As someone at the other end of his career, it is great to have young, enthusiastic people coming through the company. They really care about plants, the environment, and what we do. It is always a pleasure to work with them.”
Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is envied across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.
Its main business is to supply garden centers, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters, and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous, and specimen plants.
Wyevale NurseriesWyevale Way, Kings Acre,
Hereford. HR4 7AY, UK
Tel: 01432 845200
Fax: 01432 845227
[email protected]
www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk